Music rack



L. WALLAC E Oct. 18, 1938.

MUS IC RACK Filed Oct. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Leta WallaceATTO NEY L. WALLACE Oct. 18, 1938.

MUSIC RACK Filed 001:. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Leta WallaceATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ApplicationOctober 24,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to music racks and more particularly to auxiliarymusic racks for pianos.

The music rests provided on the music desks of pianos are primarilydesigned for adults. Children and near sighted persons have difficultyin using the music rests provided. There is a tendency to lean forward,thus causing a particularly unfavorable condition. Not only is theposition at the piano improper but in leaning forward and lookingupwardly an undue amount of energy is necessary, inducing fatigue andearly robbing the child of its ability to concentrate at the musiclesson. The correct distance of music from the players eyesshould besixteen inches.

One object of my invention is to provide a music rack which can beadapted to the music rest of the music desk on all pianos, includingboth the grand piano type and the upright piano type.

Another object of my invention is to provide a music rest which is lightin weight, can be easily adjusted and will not scratch or injure thepiano.

ther and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of the instantspecification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in whichlike reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the variousviews.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a grand piano showing my musicrack in place.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the music rack shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of my music rack showing themusic rest in one adjusted position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 3 showing themusic rest in another adjusted position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of my assembly.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a detail.

Figure '7 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a detail.

Figure 9 is an elevation of a portion of an upright piano showing mymusic rack attached thereto.

Figure 10 is a side view partly in section of the arrangement shown inFigure 9.

Figure 11 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of theassembly used on upright pianos.

1936, Serial No. 107,452

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on the line l2-l2 of Figure 11.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a supporting meansadapted to clamp upon the music rack of the piano and at once acts I asa support for the auxiliary music rack proper and as a bracing means forthe piano music rack. Means are provided for adjusting the auxiliarymusic rack as to height, distance from the user and also as to angle.

More particularly referring now to the drawings, the music desk of agrand piano usually comprises a member I pivoted at 2 so that it isadapted to assume the position shown in Figure 2 when erected. When notin use the music rest I is adapted to be pivoted around the hinge 2 sothat the upper end will move to the left as viewed in Figure 2, that istoward the front of the piano. The supporting member 3 is then adaptedto slide backwardly to closed position. There is also provided astringer 4 against which the lower edge of the music rests. The musicracks l on various pianos are of different heights. The height of themusic rack above the keys on different pianos is different and thesupport upon which the music rack I is pivoted likewise is differentlypositioned and has different amplitudes of motion. Furthermore, theangle which the music rest I assumes when in erected position isdifferent on different pianos.

For grand pianos my music rack comprises a board 5 to which is hingedlyconnected a member 6. Member 6 is provided with a groove 1 in which thetongue 8 of clamp member 9 is adapted to ride. An auxiliary clampingmember l0 may be provided. The pivotal connection between members 5 and6 may be by means of flexible material H glued or otherwise secured toboth members 5 and 6. The back of members 5 and 6 may be covered by feltl2 to prevent scratching the music rest of the piano. In use theclamping assembly is clamped over the top of the music rest of the pianoby means of a clamping bolt l3 with the lower end of board 5 positionedagainst the stringer 4 as can readily be seen by reference to Figure 2.In this position the board 5 will act as a brace preventing the musicrest of the piano from pivoting around its hinge 2. The board 5 alsoacts as a support upon which the auxiliary music rack is adjustablymounted as will hereinafter more fully be pointed out.

Referring now to Figure 6 there is shown a bracket. One end M of thebracket I5 is adapted to embrace the board 5 as can readily be seen byreference to Figures 3 and 4. To the arms I6 of the bracket I secure theauxiliary music rest proper IT, by means of a clamp bolt l8. clampedbetween the arm I6 and the music rest II are a pair of wedges l9 and 20through which the angle of clamping can be readily adjusted. It will beobserved that if both narrow portions of the wedges are downwardly theangle between the brackets l6 and the plane of the music rest I? will beless than as shown in full lines in Figure 2. By positioning one thinend upwardly and one thin end downwardly the angle can be made to be 90,as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and in full lines in Figure 7. Byplacing both butt ends of the wedges together and positioning themdownwardly, the angle between the bracket l6 and the plane of the musicrest ll can be made greater than 90. It will be observed by intermediatepositioning of the wedges, any desired angle between the limits of thewedges can be achieved. Likewise, different angles can be obtained byusing only one of the two wedges or by using wedges having diiferentangles. In this manner a simple adjustment to obtain the desired anglefor the music rest H is achieved. The bracket 55 is made of malleablemetal and the arm iii of the bracket is secured to the music rest llthrough slots 2 I.

Referring now to Figure 3 it will be noted that the distance between endM of the bracket and the music rest I? is greater than this distance inFigure 4, thus providing an adjustment of distance of the music restfrom the board 5 to enable the music rest to be used on pianos havingvarious distances from. the music rest I provided and the fall board 22of the piano. This adjustment is made by simply bending the arm I6 ofthe bracket outwardly, sliding the clamping bolts 58 along the slots 2!.

It will be observed by reference to Figure 2 that the weight of thebracket and the music rest i'i tends to rotate the bracketcounterclockwise. This will bring the upper rear edges of the inside ofthe embracing end I4 of the bracket and the lower inside edge of the endIt against the rear and forward sides of the board 5, respectively,exerting a clamping action. It will be observed that this clampingaction will be increased as the weight of music upon the music rest llis increased. The friction exerted by this clamping action is sufficientto carry the weight of any music which can be placed upon the supportledge 23 of the music rack IT. The height of the music can then bereadily adjusted by simply moving the bracket up and down and upon beingreleased it will remain in the position placed. This ready adjustment ofheight enables the instructor to move the music up and down for thepupil to bring a desired line of a page in proper position.

Referring now to Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings, there isshown a modification of my invention when used upon upright pianos. Inthis type of piano the music rest usually comprises a pivoted panel 24which is always a greater depth than the music rest I provided upongrand pianos. The same principles, however, are involved, namely, toprevent the music rest 24 from pivoting around its axis 25 and to permitthe bracing means to act as a support for an auxiliary music rest. Thesame auxiliary music rest is used. The support comprises an elongatedmember 28, carrying a bracket 27 at its upper end. The bracket isprovided with an adjustable clamp 28. The member 26 is provided With aslot 2Q in which a board 30, similar to board 5, is adapted to beadjustably positioned by means of a clamping bolt 3!. In this mannervarious heights can be readily accommodated. The upper end of the member26 is clamped to the upper end of the music rest 24 by means of theclamp 28. The music rest is moved to open position, as shown in Figure10, and the lower end of the board 30 is placed against the stringer 32of the piano. The clamping bolt 3! is then clamped to the music rack lland its bracket with embracing end I4 is positioned upon the board 38precisely in the same manner as upon board 5; board 30 and board 5 beingmade of the same weight and thickness.

It will be observed that I have accomplished the objects of myinvention. I have provided an adjustable auxiliary music rack which maybe used upon all makes of grand and upright pianos. The construction issuch that it will not scratch the piano, is light in weight, is easilyadjusted and will provide a music rack which will enable children tohave the music properly positioned, thus avoiding nervous strain andfatigue occasioned by improperly positioned music.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made indetails within the scope of my claims without departing from the spiritof my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention isnot to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An auxiliary music rack adapted to be used in connection with themusic rest of a piano, a brace member, means for clamping said bracemember to the music rack of a piano, said brace member extending fromsaid clamp at an angle to said rest and engaging a part of the piano toprevent said rest from pivoting, a support carried by said brace memberand an auxiliary music rack carried by said support.

2. In combination with the music rack of a piano an auxiliary music restcomprising a combined bracing and supporting member, a clamp forclamping said member to said piano music rack, said combined bracing andsupporting member extending from said clamp to an angle to said rack forengaging a part of the piano to prevent said rack from pivoting, abracket adjustably carried by said bracing member, an auxiliary musicrest supported by said bracket and means for adjusting said music reston said bracket.

3. An auxiliary music rest adapted to be used in connection with themusic rack of a piano, 2. combined bracing and supporting member, meansfor clamping said member to the music rack of a piano, said combinedbracing and supporting member extending from said clamping means at anangle to said rack and engaging a part of the piano to prevent said rackfrom pivoting, a bracket, means for adjustably positioning said bracketon said combined bracing and supporting member, an auxiliary music restsupported by said bracket, and means for adjusting said auxiliary musicrest to positions whereby said auxiliary music rest will occupy planesforming various angles with the plane of the music rack of the piano.

4. An auxiliary music rest adapted to be used in connection with themusic rack of a piano, a combined bracing and supporting member, meansfor clamping said member to the music rack of a piano, said combinedbracing and supporting member extending from said clamping means at anangle to said rack and engaging a part of the piano to prevent the rackfrom pivoting, a bracket, means for adjustably positioning said bracketon said combined bracing and supporting member, an auxiliary music restsupported by said bracket, means for adjusting said auxiliary music restto positions whereby said auxiliary music rest will occupy planesforming various angles with the plane of the music rack of the piano,and means for adjusting said auxiliary music rack to planes lying atdifierent distances from the plane of the music rack of the piano.

5. An auxiliary music rest as in claim 3, wherein said means forangularly adjusting said auxiliary music rest comprises means forclamping said music rest to said bracket and wedges adjustablypositioned between said bracket and said music rest.

6. An auxiliary music rest as in claim 4, wherein said means forpositioning said music rest at different distances from the music rackof the piano comprises slots in said music rest whereby said bracket maybe bent to present various normal distances between said music rest andmusic rack.

7. A music rest as is claim 3, wherein said means for clamping saidbracing means is pivotally connected to said bracing means and saidclamping means is longitudinally adjustable to enable it to be used onpiano music racks of various heights.

8. A music rest as in claim 2, wherein said means for adjustablypositioning said bracket upon said combined bracing and supporting meanscomprises bracket portions at least partially surrounding saidsupporting means, with sufiicient clearance whereby said bracket isadapted to rotate about a horizontal axis lying substantially in theplane of said bracing member, to frictionally clamp said supportingmeans between front and rear portions of said bracing means.

LETA WALLACE.

